The company who owned the balloon which crashed in Luxor killing 19 people, is "adamant
that the balloon had been inspected two weeks ago and that the licence was
up to date," reports the Telegraph's correspondent in the Egyptian
city.

9:20PM GMT 26 Feb 2013

Two Britons and a British resident died in Egypt after a hot air balloon caught fire in a mid-air explosion and crashed near the ancient city of Luxor, killing at least 19 people.

The London couple who died in the Egyptian hot-air balloon were aspiring artists, the Telegraph's correspondent in Luxor Richard Spencer said.

Joe Bampton, who turned 40 a few weeks ago, and his 34 year-old Hungarian-born partner Suzanna Gyetvai, who through her professional name Zsi was registered with the online Saatchi gallery, worked at Lots Road Auctions in Chelsea, west London, where they met a few years ago.

Yvonne Rennie, 48, a medical receptionist from Perth, Scotland also died in the crash. Her 49 year-old husband Michael, who works in construction, survived with minor injuries.

The Telegraph's correspondent in Luxor Richard Spencer spoke to the balloon's operator, Sky Cruise, and he said that they were "adamant that the balloon had been inspected two weeks ago and that the licence was up to date."